Colin Powell calls Trump a 'national disgrace' in hacked emails

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell blasted Donald Trump as a "national disgrace" and "international pariah" in a personal email exchange that was leaked online by hackers.

Powell, a retired 4-star general and a Republican, confirmed the authenticity of the emails to NBC News.

"The hackers have a lot more," he added.

The contents of the emails were first reported by Buzzfeed News. It said the messages had been obtained by the website DCLeaks.com which MSNBC reported is rumored to have ties to Russian intelligence services.

Powell called Trump a "national disgrace" and "international pariah" in a June 17 email to a former aide, saying the Republican presidential contender was "in the process of destroying himself, no need for Dems to attack him."

A subsequent email to the same former aide on Aug. 21 slammed Trump for spurring the "racist" so-called "birther" movement — the consistently debunked rumor that President Barack Obama was born in another country.

"Yup, the whole birther movement was racist," Powell wrote, according to Buzzfeed. "That's what the 99% believe. When Trump couldn't keep that up he said he also wanted to see if the certificate noted that he was a Muslim."

Photos of Former Secretary of State Colin Powell throughout his career:

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Colin Powell through his career

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Colin Powell through his career

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell (C) and members of the 132nd MP Company pose for photographs in Saudi Arabia December 22, 1990. REUTERS/Jonathan Bainbridge (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: POLITICS) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE

President George H.W. Bush meets with his military advisors at the Pentagon to duscuss the Gulf crisis August 15, 1990. From left are: General Norman Schwarzkopf, chief of Middle East forces, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, Bush and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell. REUTERS/Gary Cameron (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Richard Cheney and former Chairman of the
Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell (L), speak with reporters
about reductions in short range nuclear weapons during a press conference at
the Pentagon in this September 28, 1991 file photo. PP03030031
REUTERS/Str
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Arriving at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for award ceremonies November 9 are (L-R) former President Ronald Reagan , Alma Powell , Nancy Reagan and General Colin L. Powell , former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Richard Cheney, U.S. Defense Secretary during the Gulf War, and then Chairman of the Armed Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell (R), address U.S. troops deployed in Saudi Arabia as part of operation Desert Shield during the Gulf crisis, in a December 21, 1990 file photo. According to reports, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush decided on July 24, 2000 to offer the vice presidential spot on the Republican White House ticket to Cheney. Senior Republican sources in Washington said Bush would call Cheney soon and appear with him July 25. Cheney had previously told associates that if asked, he would accept the nomination. Bush had also been courting Powell for the Vice President's job, but Powell said he was not interested.
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Musician Kenny G (center/right) stands with students of Macfarland Middle School (front), Charles Goldstock of Arista Records (left/rear), and General Colin Powell (ret.) (center), as he launches his new Foundation called Miracles by donating instruments to the school in Washington July 1. The mission of The Kenny G Miracles Foundation is to bring the miracle of music to America's youth by providing resources for school programs.
MMR

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (R) points as he shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in Cairo February 24, 2001. Both men both men are expected to discuss arms control, Iraq and Middle East peace. Powell said his meeting with Ivanov would be a "get
acquainted session" and the start of the engagement between the new Bush administration and the Putin government in Moscow.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell (R) laughs along with other U.S.
officials during ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of Operation
Desert Storm in Kuwait City February 25, 2001. From left, are: former
National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, retired General Norman
Schwarzkopf, U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait James Larocco and Powell, a
retired general and former Joint Chiefs chairman during the Gulf war.
REUTERS/Royal Navy/Dave Coombs/Handout
DVCC/SV

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presents an American proposal to help bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under control May 21, 2001. Powell said on Monday he had instructed his ambassador to Jordan, William Burns, to help Israelis and Palestinians build a "timeline" for peace and urged both sides to call an immediate and unconditional cease-fire.
KL/JP

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell testifies before the House
Appropriations subcommittee on the Departments of Commerce, Justice,
State and the Judiciary, on Capitol Hill in Washington March 26, 2003.
Powell testified for the State Department's 2004 budget as well as the
war in Iraq. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks on Iraq before members of
the House International Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill, September
19, 2002. President Bush warned today that the U.N. Security Council
must deal with Iraq or the United States and its allies would act
alone. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
KL/ME

WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 19: Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell (ret.) speaks during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at NBC October 19, 2008 in Washington, DC. Secretary Powell spoke about his endorsement of Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images for Meet The Press)

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with former Secretary of State Colin Powell in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, December 1, 2010. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with former Secretary of State Colin Powell in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, December 1, 2010. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell stands over U.S. President Barack Obama during the signing of America's Promise Summit Declaration at the White House in Washington September 22, 2014. Powell served as the founding chairman of America's Promise Alliance which mobilizes non-profit groups, businesses, educators and communities to end high school dropout, and to prepare students for college and the workforce.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS EDUCATION)

Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks alongside US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the unveiling of Powell's official State Department portrait in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the State Department in Washington, DC, on December 7, 2009. Powell served as Secretary of State from 2001-2005 under former US President George W. Bush. AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 07: Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell walks by his official State Department portrait after an unveiling ceremony with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the State Department December 7, 2009 in Washington, DC. Powell served as Secretary of State from 2001-2005 under former U.S. President George W. Bush. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Former US Secretaries of State Colin Powell (L) and Hillary Clinton speak during a ceremony to break ground on the US Diplomacy Center at the US State Department in Washington, DC, September 3, 2014. AFP PHOTO / Jim WATSON / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 03: Former Secretaries of State (L-R) Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell and Hillary Clinton share a laugh during the ceremonial groundbreaking for the future U.S. Diplomacy Center with former Secretary of State Colin Powell (L) at the State Department's Harry S. Truman Building September 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. When completed, the Diplomacy Center will be a museum and education center that will 'demonstrate the ways in which diplomacy matters now and has mattered throughout American history.' (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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There was no immediate response from the Trump campaign to the emails.

Powell expressed frustration about his name being linked to Clinton's email issues, writing in another leaked email: "I have told Hilleary's [sic] minions repeatedly that they are making a mistake trying to drag me in, yet they still try," Powell wrote.

While Powell has described himself as a lifelong Republican, he twice endorsed Obama — a Democrat — for president.